News

Mills Named All-MSAC

February 26, 2015

Tompkins Cortland Community College sophomore Rob Mills (Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) has been named to the Mid-State Athletic Conference men’s basketball all-conference team. A total of ten players are chosen to the team, with voting by the coaches from the seven colleges in the conference. This marks the eighth straight year TC3 has been represented on the all-conference team.

Mills led the Panthers in scoring, averaging 19.3 points per conference game. He was the third highest scoring in the conference and the fifth best in terms of steals per game (2.1). He led the MSAC in free-throw shooting percentage (88.1) and was fourth in three-point shooting percentage (42.7). He finished his career with more than 700 points, passing that milestone in TC3’s season finale.

Mills is a sport management major.

Playoff Rally Falls Short

Friday, February 20, 2015

After rallying from 24-points down to pull within just four points with two minutes left, the Tompkins Cortland Community College men’s basketball team ran out of steam and lost to Corning Community College 79-69 in the semifinal round of the Mid-State Athletic Conference playoffs Friday. TC3, the fourth seed in the conference playoffs, ends the season with a record of 9-17. Corning, the MSAC regular season champion and playoff top seed, advances to Saturday’s conference championship against Finger Lakes Community College.

After Nicc Johnson (St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) started the game with a layup off the opening tip, Corning ran out to a 13-3 lead. The Panthers cut the margin to four points by scoring nine of the next 16 points, but Corning pushed it back to ten points at 31-21 with six minutes left in the half. The Red Barons closed the half with a 14-3 run to lead 45-24 at the break.

The home team extended the lead to 48-24 with the first three points of the second half before TC3 started its rally. A pair of free throws by Rob Mills (Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) sparked a 15-5 rally that cut the deficit to 53-39 with 14:12 left in the half. The margin held in double digits until Johnson hit a three-pointer with 6:42 left, making the score 63-55. Over the next four minutes, TC3 chipped away, eventually making it a four-point game when another Johnson three pointer made it 71-67 heading into the final two minutes. After a three-point play with 1:07 left gave the home team a 74-67 lead, Mills again connected on a pair of free throws to make it 74-69 with 34.9 seconds left. But the Panthers would get no closer, as five Corning free throws over the closing seconds sealed the win for the Red Barons.

Kevin Williams (Benjamin Banneker H.S./Brooklyn) ended the game with a double-double of 18 points and 14 rebounds. Mills and Johnson each scored 13 points and registered two steals.

Coaches–Men's Basketball

Rich Echevarria

Head Coach

After three seasons as an assistant to two-time MSAC Coach of the Year David Stevenson, Coach Echevarria takes over as head coach for the 2014-15 campaign. He brings great experience both as a player, having played for the Panthers while earning his TC3 degree in sport management, and as a coach, having coached on the AAU level and at several camps. He is also an IAABO official, working basketball games on the high school and college level.

As the head coach, Coach Echevarria plans to continue the high-tempo aggressive style that has proven successful in recent years at TC3. He will oversee all aspects of the program, while continuing to show his strength in recruiting, strength and fitness training, and defense.

Contact: re013@TC3.edu

Brian Carroll

Assistant Coach

The 2014-15 season will mark Coach Carroll's sixth on the bench for the Panthers. He joined the staff after completing his own two-sport college career, playing basketball at SUNY Brockport before transferring to TC3 to play baseball. During his time with TC3, he has used his own experience as a standout backcourt player to help coach some of the strongest guards in the region. He brings an understanding of the game from a recent player's perspective and is extremely valuable in his ability to assist with in-game adjustments.

Contact: bjc@TC3.edu

Highlights–2013-14 Men's Basketball

Playoff Loss Ends TC3's Season

Friday, February 28, 2014

The Tompkins Cortland Community College men’s basketball season came to a close Friday as the Panthers lost in the quarterfinal round of the NJCAA Region III tournament, 90-75, to Clinton Community College. TC3’s ends the season with a record of 20-7.

The Panthers entered the tournament as the #5 seed while Clinton was the #4 seed. The game opened with a basket by TC3’s Laszlo Hajnoczi
(Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) for a quick lead. After a Clinton three-pointer, Tyseem Lyles
(Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) drained a three-pointer of his own to make it 5-3. Over the next four minutes, Clinton scored ten straight points to lead 13-5. The lead grew over the next ten minutes, capping at 35-15 before TC3 ended the half with a 14-5 run to make the score 40-29 at the break.

The TC3 run continued in the second half, with the Panthers scoring the first six points to close within five at 40-35 with 16:35 left. Clinton responded with five straight to push the lead back to ten. The margin hovered around ten over the next five minutes before TC3 went on a 13-4 run that included three-pointers by Lyles, Devin Redden
(St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo), and Joel Costello
(Middleburgh H.S./Middleburgh) and was capped by a steal and basket by Costello to make the score 64-61 with 8:35 left on the clock. After the teams traded baskets, Clinton scored seven straight to make the lead ten at 73-63 with 6:56 left. The Panthers couldn’t cut the lead below eight the rest of the way as Clinton sealed the win and advanced to the regional semifinal.

In the end, TC3 was on the wrong end of several key statistics. Clinton held a 64-36 advantage in rebounding and shot 45.6% from the floor, compared to 34.9% for TC3. From three-point range, Clinton made 50% (10-of-20) while the Panthers connected on just 32.3% (10-of-31). Clinton also went 18-of-24 from the foul line, compared to just 5-for-8 for TC3. Combined, it adds up to a disappointing result for the Panthers.

Not all the numbers were bad. Lyles cemented his place among the elite in the history of TC3 basketball, setting two TC3 season records in the loss. He handed out three assists to give him 156 for the season, breaking the old record of 155 set by Chris Cartwright in 2009-10, and he had seven steals, giving him 105 for the season, breaking the old record of 103 set by Randall Thomas in 2003-04. Lyles also scored 16 points, giving him 902 points for his career to become the fifth TC3 player to top 900 in his career. He also pulled down a team-best seven rebounds.

Costello also had a big game scoring 20 points, a new career high. He added a team-best four assists while also recording four steals. Redden scored 14 points and had five rebounds, and Hajnoczi had nine points, six rebounds, and four steals.

Panthers Repeat As MSAC Champions

Saturday, February 22, 2014

For the second straight year, Tompkins Cortland Community College is the Mid-State Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament champions. The Panthers, already the regular season champions, added the tournament crown Saturday with a thrilling 84-83 win over Finger Lakes Community College. The championship, the third time in the last five years that TC3 has cut down the nets as the conference tournament champs, gives TC3 a season record of 20-6. It also is the third time in five years the team has reached at least 20 victories in a season.

Less than 20 hours after shooting a sizzling 62.5% from the field in the first half while racing to a 79-48 rout of Corning in the MSAC semifinal game, Finger Lakes picked up where it left off on Friday. The Lakers opened Saturday’s championship game by connecting on its first five three-pointers while jumping to an 11 points lead just five minutes into the game. But unlike Friday’s blowout, the lead wouldn’t last. Devin Redden
(St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) drained a three-pointer to start and 11-0 TC3 run that tied the game with 7:49 left in the half. After Finger Lakes cored to regain the lead, TC3 used an 11-2 run to take a 30-23 advantage with 3:53 left in the half. Finger Lakes cut the lead to 30-29, but TC3 again rallied, scoring seven of the final nine points of the half to take a 37-31 lead into halftime.

After seeing five lead changes in the first half, the second half produced four ties and seven more lead changes. The first lead change came less than two minutes into play after Finger Lakes scored the first nine points of the half to regain the lead at 40-37. The game of runs continued with TC3 scoring six straight to lead 43-40, and then Finger Lakes answering with nine straight to move ahead 49-43. Five in a row for the Panthers cut the deficit to one at 48-49 with 11:30 left on the clock, and moments later a steal and basket by Tyseem Lyles
(Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) gave the home team a 55-54 lead with 10:30 left, marking the last time TC3 would trail in the game. Baskets by Justin Hawkins
(State Island) sparked a 9-2 run to give TC3 a 62-56 lead, but five straight from Finger Lakes brought it back to a one-point game. The Panthers managed to get the lead back to five points at 72-67 on three-pointer by Lyles with 4:18 left, but the Lakers weren’t done. The visitors scored seven of the next nine to tie the score at 74-74 with 1:34 left. Both teams made 1-of-2 from the foul line over the next 20 seconds to leave the score tied at 75-75 before Lyles drained a deep three-pointer to make it 78-75. After Finger Lakes answered with a basket to make it 78-77, Laszlo Hajnoczi
(Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) came up big with basket in the paint, drawing a foul and completing the three-point play to give TC3 an 81-77 lead with 48 ticks left on the clock. The final minute excitement was just getting started, as Finger Lakes answered with a three-pointer to make it 81-80 with 26.9 left. After a timeout, Finger Lakes fouled quickly on the next possession, sending Hawkins to the line with 20.2 second left. The sophomore made the first to make the score 82-80, but after missing the second, he came up with the play of the game, stealing the ball on the outlet pass to give TC3 the possession with a two point lead. After running a few precious seconds off the clock, Hawkins sealed the win with a basket, giving the Panthers the four point lead. A Finger Lakes three-pointer at the buzzer made the final a one-point game, 84-83.

Lyles earned tournament MVP honors, tallying 27 points and seven steals in the championship game. Hawkins had a monster game with 15 points and 16 rebounds, including a stunning 12 on the offensive glass. Robert Mills, Jr. (Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) had 12 points, including six points on a pair of key three-pointers. Redden and Hajnozi each scored 11 points, with Redden pulling down eight boards. Joel Costello
(Middleburgh H.S./Middleburgh) dished out seven assists while grabbing six rebounds.

TC3 now awaits word on seeding for the upcoming NJCAA Region III tournament. Seedings will be announced Sunday, with the Panthers expected to open tournament play in the quarterfinal round Friday. The Region III tournament is being hosted by SUNY Delhi.

Panthers Win Shootout in Playoff Opener

Friday, February 21, 2014

The Mid-State Athletic Conference men’s basketball playoffs opened with a bang Friday as Tompkins Cortland Community College beat Cayuga Community College in a shootout, 108-102. The top-seeded Panthers, now 19-6 overall, advance to Saturday’s championship game against #3 seed Finger Lakes Community College. Finger Lakes won Friday’s other semifinal game, 79-48, over Corning Community College.

After the Panthers used a 16-4 run late in the first half to take a 42-32 lead into the break, the fireworks erupted in the second half. The two teams combined to score 136 points in the final 20 minutes, with the lead changing hands five times. Midway through the half TC3 re-established a ten point lead at 74-64, and eventually pushed it to 14 at 84-70 with 4:30 left. Cayuga rallied back, pulling within four at 91-87 with 1:30 left, but TC3 kept went 11-for-13 from the free throw line down the stretch to seal the win.

Devin Redden (St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) led TC3 with 24 points, including 11-for-14 from the charity stripe. Tyseem Lyles
(Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) had a double-double of 21 points and 10 assists and Laszlo Hajnoczi
(Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. Robert Mills, Jr.
(Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) scored 13 and Justin Hawkins
(State Island) just missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds. Joel Costello
(Middleburgh H.S./Middleburgh) added 10 points as six Panthers reached double figures in the team’s highest scoring game of the year.

The 108 points set a new TC3 playoff scoring record.

Panthers Close Regular Season with Win

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Five players scoring at least 14 points powered the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team to a 92-80 win over Corning Community College Wednesday. The regular-season finale leaves TC3’s with a Mid-State Athletic Conference regular-season championship record of 11-1 in conference and 18-6 overall. Corning finishes the regular season in second place in the MSAC with a conference mark of 8-4 and an overall record of 14-12. Both teams will take part in the conference playoffs this weekend at TC3.

The Panthers got off to a slow start, trailing by 11 points just six minutes into the game. From the 16-5 deficit TC3 went on a 7-0 run to close the gap to 16-12 with 12:22 left in the half. Corning pushed the lead back to nine points at 26-17, but TC3 responded chipping away the rest of the half, pulling within one on a pair of free throws by Devin Redden
(St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) with 11.5 seconds left. The deficit remained one at 37-36 heading into the break.

Corning tried to re-establish a cushion, scoring 12 of the first 19 points of the half to lead 49-43 with 16:30 left. Ninety seconds later, the score stood at 51-48 when Joel Costello
(Middleburgh H.S./Middleburgh) drained back-to-back three pointers to start a 17-2 run that gave the Panthers the 65-53 lead with 11:06 left on the clock. Corning put together a final rally, closing to within four points at 74-70 with five minutes left, but TC3 answered to push the lead back to double figures at 84-74 with 2:02 left. Strong foul shooting sealed the win down the stretch, with the Panthers making 74.2% from the line in the second half.

As the regular season champions, TC3 hosts the Mid-State Athletic Conference playoffs this weekend. The four-team tournament starts with semifinals on Friday: #1 TC3 vs. #4 Cayuga at 5 p.m. and #2 Corning vs. #3 Finger Lakes at 7 p.m. The conference championship game is Saturday at 1 p.m.

Panthers Cruise Past Schenectady

Sunday, February 16, 2014

In a game that saw ten different players see more than 12 minutes of playing time, including six non-starters, the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team cruised to a 98-71 home win over Schenectady County Community College Sunday. The non-conference win improves TC3’s record to 17-6 overall. Schenectady drops to 2-19.

After the visitors scored the first five points, the Panthers came back to tie the score at 5-5 and again at 7-7. At that point, the Panthers took charge, steadily putting the game away. The halftime score was 46-31, with both Tyseem Lyles
(Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) and Devin Redden
(St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) in double figures, with 15 and 10 points, respectively. All 12 TC3 players saw multiple minutes on the floor in the first half, with more to come in the second.

The lead grew to 32 early in the second half, and stood at 82-55 at the ten minute mark. Despite slowing down the pace considerably, the Panthers still scored 52 points in the second half and coasted to the win.

By the time the game ended, 11 of the 12 Panthers had scored, including all seven non-starters. Lyles ended the game with 20 points in 24 minutes. Joel Costello
(Middleburgh H.S./Middleburgh) scored 18 points and Redden finished with 16. Robert Mills, Jr.
(Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) scored 15 and Laszlo Hajnoczi
(Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) finished with 12 points. Abraham Osayomi
(Eagle Academy for Young Men/Bronx) came off the bench to lead the team in rebounds with seven.

TC3 hosts Corning Community College Wednesday to close out the regular season.

Panthers Clinch MSAC Top Seed

Saturday, February 15, 2014

The Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team bounced back from its first loss of 2014 with a convincing 93-72 home win over Cayuga Community College Saturday. The TC3 win, coupled with Corning’s loss to Jefferson, clinches the second straight Mid-State Athletic Conference regular season title for the Panthers. The Panthers, improve to 10-1 in the MSAC and 16-6 overall. Cayuga, the fourth seed for the playoffs, is 10-16 overall and 5-7 in the MSAC. Following TC3’s final two regular season games, the top seeded Panthers will square off against Cayuga again in the conference semifinal, Friday at 5p.m. at TC3.

Saturday’s game saw several standout performances, led by Tyseem Lyles
(Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn). The sophomore and reigning conference player of the year posted 23 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, and seven steals. His eight helpers gives him 266 for his career, passing Chris Cartwright (259, 2008-2010) for the most ever in a career at TC3.

TC3 hosts Schenectady County Community College in a non-conference game Sunday at 3 p.m.

Win Streak Snapped

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

The longest winning streak in Region III came to an end Wednesday when the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team fell at Onondaga Community College, 90-87. The Panthers, winners of 11 straight coming into the contest, are now 9-1 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference and 15-6 overall. Onondaga is 4-7 in conference and 10-17 overall.

The Panthers trailed by one at the half, 45-44. The second half was back and forth, with TC3 coming up short in its last chance to tie the score in the final seconds. Five TC3 players scored in double figures, led by 18 points from Joel Costello
(Middleburgh H.S./Middleburgh). Matt Warchocki
(Owego Free Academy/Owego) had 16, Tyseem Lyles (Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) had 15, Justin Hawkins
(Staten Island) scored 14, and Laszlo Hajnoczi
(Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) finished with 13 points.

TC3 hosts Cayuga Community College Saturday at noon.

Twenty-Point Road Win for Panthers

Thursday, February 06, 2014

A strong road performance for the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team Thursday produced a 96-76 win over Finger Lakes Community College. The Panthers, winners of 11 straight, are now 9-0 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference and 15-5 overall. Finger Lakes, who entered the night tied for second in the MSAC, is now 6-3 in conference and 16-8 overall.

The game was close in the first half, with the teams tied at 26-26 before TC3 scored seven straight as part of a 21-8 run to close the half with a 47-34 lead. The home team opened the second half with an 11-2 run to pull within four at 49-45. Minutes later the TC3 lead was down to three at 57-54, but the Panthers responded to push the lead to 64-56 with ten minutes left. A pair of technical fouls on Finger Lakes helped TC3 stretch the lead to 19 at 79-60, essentially ending the game with a few minutes left to play.

The Panthers shot 52.9% from the floor, including 45% from behind the three-point line. Tyseem Lyles
(Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) led the way with 29 points after making 10-of-16 from the floor, including 5-of-8 from three-point range. He added seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Robert Mills, Jr.
(Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) had 15 points, Justin Hawkins
(GED/Staten Island) had 14 and eight rebounds, and Laszlo Hajnoczi
(Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) tossed in 10 points.

TC3 plays at Onondaga Community College Wednesday.

Panthers Win Tenth Straight

Saturday, February 01, 2014

The Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team ran its program-best winning streak to ten games Saturday with a 68-66 home win over SUNY Broome. TC3 is now 14-5 overall and a perfect 8-0 atop the Mid-State Athletic Conference. Broome is 10-12 overall and 2-6 in the MSAC.

The win clinched a MSAC playoff spot for the Panthers, but it wasn’t easy. The first half saw TC3 methodically build a lead, peaking at 14 points, before settling at 35-24 at the break. The lead completely dissolved in the second half as Broome rallied all the way back, tying the score at 62-62 with 1:24 left on the clock. A pair of Nicc Johnson
(St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) free throws gave the lead back to the Panthers with 1:12 left. After turnovers by both teams, Johnson made another free throw to make it 65-62 with 19 seconds left. Following a free throw by Broome, Tyseem Lyles
(Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) made two from the charity stripe to make the score 67-63 with 12 seconds left. A running three-pointer by Broome cut the lead to one with 5.3 seconds left, but Matt Warchocki
(Owego Free Academy/Owego) converted a free throw with 4.0 seconds left to make the score 68-66. When Broome’s desperation mid-court shot at the buzzer fell harmlessly to the floor, the home team had the win.

Lyles led the Panthers with 19 points to go with eight steals, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Laszlo Hajnoczi
(Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds, along with four blocks, three steals, and two assists. Johnson finished with 14 points and six rebounds. Justin Hawkins
(GED/Staten Island) added nine rebounds and six points.

TC3 hosts Corning Community College Wednesday.

Lyles Leads Panthers to Win

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Another big night from Tyseem Lyles
(Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) helped the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team to its ninth straight win, a 77-67 victory at Jefferson Community College Wednesday. TC3 is now 7-0 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference and 13-5 overall. Jefferson’s record is now 1-7 in the MSAC and 5-13 overall.

Lyles paced the Panthers with 30 points, a new career high and the fifth time this year the sophomore has topped 20 points in a game. He sank eight three-pointers, also a new career high, and added ten rebounds, seven steals, and six assists with no turnovers. Devin Redden
(St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) and Robert Mills, Jr.
(Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) each had 11 points. Matt Warchocki
(Owego Free Academy/Owego) had eight points, four assists, and four steals.

TC3 returns home Saturday to host SUNY Broome.

TC3 Remains Perfect in MSAC with 89-71 Win Over Finger Lakes

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Big rallies to close each half helped the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team to a win Saturday, keeping the Panthers perfect in conference play. TC3 beat Finger Lakes Community College 89-71 to improve to 6-0 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference and 12-5 overall. Finger Lakes is now 4-2 in the MSAC and 14-7 overall.

TC3 opened the game by scoring 15 of the first 20 points, including eight from Nicc Johnson
(St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo). The lead hovered around ten for the next several minutes before Finger Lakes went on a 10-2 run to pull within two at 21-19 with 5:45 left in the half. After a TC3 timeout, Devin Redden
(St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) drained a three-pointer to spark a 13-4 run to close the half, giving the home team the 34-23 lead at the break.

The lead grew to 24 points midway through the second half before Finger Lakes put together a final push. The Lakers pulled to within nine points at 73-64 with under six minutes to play, but the Panthers closed the game out with a 16-7 run to seal the win.

Redden led the team with 22 points while grabbing four rebounds. Tyseem Lyles
(Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) finished with 21 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Johnson and Joshua Spence
(Bayard Rustin H.S./Brooklyn) each had 10 points and four rebounds.

TC3 travels to Jefferson Community College Wednesday.

Seven Straight Wins for Panthers

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

The Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team ran its winning streak to seven games Wednesday with an 84-72 win at Cayuga Community College. The win improves TC3 to 5-0 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference and 11-5 overall. Cayuga is now 2-4 in the MSAC and 7-13 overall.

The game was close in the first half, with TC3 taking a 33-29 lead into the break. TC3 pushed the lead to double digits early in the second half, and kept the margin the rest of the way despite pressure from Cayuga.

Matt Warchocki (Owego Free Academy/Owego) stayed hot from three-point range, connecting on six as part of his 19-point night. Devin Redden (St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) also had 19 points, including 12 on four three-pointers. Tyseem Lyles (Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) had a huge night, posting a triple-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. He also swiped six steals. Laszlo Hajnoczi (Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) added 10 points in the win.

TC3 hosts Finger Lakes Community College Saturday.

Panthers Race to 88-60 Win at SUNY Adirondack

Monday, January 20, 2014

The Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team posted a convincing non-conference road win Monday, beating SUNY Adirondack 88-60. TC3 is now 10-5 overall while Adirondack drop to 5-10.

The visiting Panthers set the tone early, racing to a 48-29 lead at the half. The outcome wasn’t in doubt most of the second half as TC3 cruised to the victory.

For the second straight game, five Panthers finished the game in double figures. Tyseem Lyles (Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) paced the group with 18 points to go with seven rebounds, six assists, and four steals. Robert Mills, Jr. (Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) tossed in 15 points and Matt Warchocki (Owego Free Academy/Owego) had 12 points and seven steals. Devin Redden (St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) and Laszlo Hajnoczi (Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) each had 10 points, with Hajnoczi also charting 10 rebounds for a double-double.

TC3 travels to Cayuga Community College to resume Mid-State Athletic Conference play Wednesday.

TC3 Men's Basketball Pulls Away in Second Half of Win Over Onondaga

Saturday, January 18, 2014

The Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team used big runs in each half to cruise to a 96-78 win over Onondaga Community College Saturday. The home win moves TC3 to 4-0 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference and 9-5 overall. Onondaga is now 1-4 in the MSAC and 6-14 overall.

It was a one-point game midway through the first half when TC3 when on a 19-5 run to take a 40-25 lead. Onondaga answered with a small run to close the Panther lead to 42-34 at the half. In the second half, Onondaga opened with a 10-4 run to pull within two points, but over the next ten minutes, TC3 outscored the visitors 31-13 to regain control with a 77-57 lead.

Five Panthers finished the game in double figures, led by Matt Warchocki (Owego Free Academy/Owego) with 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting from behind the three-point arc. Robert Mills, Jr. (Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) scored 14 points, including 12 on 4-for-5 shooting from three-point range. Devin Redden (St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) tossed in 12 points and Tyseem Lyles (Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) and Laszlo Hajnoczi (Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) each had 10 points. Lyles added nine assists, seven rebounds, and four steals to his stat line and Hajnoczi grabbed a team-high nine boards to go with two assists and two steals. Joel Costello (Middleburgh H.S./Middleburgh) dished out 11 assists while scoring seven points.

TC3 travels to Queensbury Monday to take on SUNY Adirondack.

Panthers Win at Corning

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

The Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team improved to 3-0 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference with an 86-81 win at Corning Community College Tuesday. TC3 is now 8-5 overall while Corning drops to 2-1 in the MSAC and 6-8 overall.

After falling behind 17-4 to open the game, TC3 closed out the half by out-scoring Corning 37-12 to lead 41-29 at the half. The second half saw TC3 withstand every Corning run, never giving up the lead en route to the win.

A trio of sophomores led the Panthers. Tyseem Lyles (Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) had a big night with 28 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, and four steals. Devin Redden (St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) poured in 22 points while pulling down seven rebounds and handing out two assists. Laszlo Hajnoczi Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) added a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds, along with three blocked shots.

TC3 returns home Saturday to host Onondaga Community College.

Road Win for TC3 Men's Basketball

Saturday, January 11, 2014

A balanced attack that featured four players in double figures led the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team to a 70-66 road win at SUNY Broome Saturday. The win improves the Panthers to 2-0 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference and 7-5 overall. Broome falls to 0-2 in the MSAC and 7-8 overall.

Freshman Joel Costello (Middleburgh H.S./Middleburgh) had a great game, logging career highs of 18 points and five steals, while also handing out five assists and pulling down seven rebounds. Sophomores Laszlo Hajnoczi (Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) and Devin Redden (St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) each had double-doubles: Hajnoczi had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Redden had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Matt Warchocki (Owego Free Academy/Owego) had a solid game with 10 points, four rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Nicc Johnson (St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) followed up Thursday’s triple double with another impressive stat line: nine points, seven rebounds, five steals, and four assists. Shaquille Duberry (All Hallows H.S./Manhattan) provided some force on the glass, grabbing six rebounds.

TC3 plays at Corning Community College Tuesday.

Panthers Win Behind Johnson's Triple-Double

Thursday, January 09, 2014

The Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team opened defense of its Mid-State Athletic Conference crown with a 91-76 home win over Jefferson Community College Thursday. The Panthers, the 2013 MSAC champs, are now 6-5 overall. It was also the MSAC opener for Jefferson, which falls to 4-7 overall.

The game opened with the Panthers scoring the first eight points, including six by Laszlo Hajnoczi (Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville). The lead grew to 11-2 before Jefferson answered with a rally of its own take the lead at 17-15. The teams stayed within a few points of each other until TC3 closed out the half with an 11-2 run to take a 47-37 lead into the break.

In the second half, Jefferson managed to cut into the lead slightly, pulling within 67-60 at the ten-minute mark. The home team responded by scoring five straight to push the lead back to double figures and re-establish control. The Panthers kept the lead in double figures most of the rest of the way, settling in with the 15-point win.

The night featured an historic effort from Nicc Johnson (St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo). The freshman became just the second TC3 player ever to record a triple-double, scoring 16 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and handing out 10 assists - new career highs in every category. (Chip Haynes had the first triple-double in 2001) Devin Redden (St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) had a game-high 24 points to go with seven rebounds, and Hajnoczi finished with 22 points and seven boards. Matt Warchocki (Owego Free Academy/Owego) had a huge second-half, scoring all of his 19 points after halftime.

TC3 plays at Broome Community College Saturday.

Panthers Close Semester with 95-70 Win

Saturday, December 14, 2013

The Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team closed out the fall semester in style Saturday, winning 95-70 at home over Hudson Valley Community College. TC3 heads into the winter break with a record of 5-5 overall and 4-4 in Region III. Hudson Valley is 4-4 overall and in Region III.

The Panthers came out fast, racing to a 19-10 lead and then pushing it to 33-20 in the first half. Hudson Valley rallied to pull within one at the half, 44-43. Tyseem Lyles (Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) led the way, scoring 13 points in the first 20 minutes.

In the second half, Hudson Valley continued the rally it started to the end the first half. The Vikings tied the game 48-48 just two minutes into the half, and then again at 50-50 moments later. From that point, the home team went on a run that featured three-pointers from three different shooters as part of a 15-5 spurt to lead 65-55. Moments later the Panthers went on another run, this time 10-0, pushing the lead to 78-59 with less than seven minutes left. The margin remained above 16 the rest of the way, peaking at 25 at the final gun.

Laszlo Hajnoczi (Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) led four Panthers in double figures with a game-high 18 points while grabbing six rebounds. Lyles finished with a great line of 17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. Matt Warchocki (Owego Free Academy/Owego) poured in 13 points and Devin Redden (St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) had 12 points. Joel Costello (Middleburgh H.S./Middleburgh) just missed a double-double with eight points and eight assists.

TC3 is off until January 7, when the Panthers play at Finger Lakes Community College.

Road Loss for Panthers

Sunday, December 08, 2013

The Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team dropped a road game at Herkimer County Community College Sunday, falling by a score of 82-56. TC3 is now 4-5 overall and 3-4 in Region III. Herkimer, ranked #5 in the nation, is now 7-2 overall and 7-1 in Region III.

Laszlo Hajnoczi (Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) had a double-double to lead TC3, finishing with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Robert Mills, Jr. (Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) had 14 points, six rebounds, and three steals.

TC3 ends the fall semester with a home game Saturday against Hudson Valley Community College.

Bad Return to Action for Panthers

Saturday, December 07, 2013

After taking nearly two weeks off for the holiday break, the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team showed plenty of rust Saturday. The Panthers dropped a road game at Mohawk Valley Community College by a final score of 90-64. The loss evens TC3’s record at 4-4 overall and 3-3 in Region III. Mohawk Valley improves to 6-1 in Region III and 9-2 overall.

The Panthers were outscored 46-33 in the first half and didn’t fare any better in the second. Tyseem Lyles (Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) led TC3 in scoring with 11 points and four assists. Laszlo Hajnoczi (Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) finished with 14 rebounds and eight points.

The road doesn’t get any easier for the Panthers Sunday: TC3 plays at nationally-ranked Herkimer County Community College.

Panthers Head into Thanksgiving Break with Win

Sunday, November 24, 2013

The Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team heads into a nearly two-week break from games on a positive note, thanks to an 81-59 home win Sunday over North Country Community College. The Panthers are now 3-2 in Region III and 4-3 overall. North Country drops 4-4 overall and 2-4 in Region III.

After an opening few minutes that saw North Country take a 10-8 lead, TC3 went on a 26-5 run, led by eight points from Tyseem Lyles (Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn), to move ahead. The lead stood at 40-23 at the half, with five different Panthers scoring at least five points in the half.

In the second half, North Country managed to cut the TC3 lead to ten points at 64-54 with six minutes left, but the Panthers responded with two quick baskets by Lyles to spread the margin to 14. The advantage remained above ten the rest of the way, stretching to the final 22-point margin thanks in part to 9-of-10 free throw shooting over the final two minutes.

Lyles finished the game as high scorer with 25 points to go with four assists, four steals, three rebounds, and two blocks. Two Panthers just missed double-doubles: Robert Mills, Jr. (Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) with 20 points and nine rebounds and Laszlo Hajnoczi (Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) with nine points and 16 rebounds.

TC3 returns to action Saturday, December 7 at Mohawk Valley Community College.

Hot Start Not Enough for Panthers

Saturday, November 23, 2013

A strong first half that featured 52% shooting from three-point range as a team wasn’t enough for the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team as the Panthers fell by a final score of 93-81 to Clinton Community College Saturday. The Panthers are now 2-2 in Region III and 3-3 overall. Clinton, the fifth-ranked team in Region III, improves to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in Region III.

TC3 started the game hot from the floor, making nine of their first 12 attempts from behind the arc. The Panthers finished the first half having made 10-of-19 from three-point range, good enough to build a 48-39 lead.

The second half started with the teams trading baskets, making it 50-41, but Clinton then went on a 19-2 run to take the lead at 60-52. The Panthers fought back, using a 12-5 run capped by Tyseem Lyles (Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) draining his sixth three-pointer of the game to cut the deficit to 65-64 with 7:39 left. Despite the pressure, the visitors kept the lead, slowly stretching it to six points with three minutes left. The Cougars closed the game out by scoring ten of their final 12 points at the free throw line, part of a decided advantage for Clinton. After a first half that saw TC3 take 11 free throws to Clinton’s nine, the second-half featured Clinton taking 22 trips to the charity stripe, while the home team only had four foul shots in the final half. The result was a 12-point advantage for Clinton from the free throw line, the same margin as the final score.

Lyles finished the game with seven three-pointers as part of a 25-point, seven-rebound, and three-assist game. Devin Redden (St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) had 17 points, going 4-of-6 from behind the arc. Robert Mills, Jr. (Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) had 11 points, four rebounds, and two steals and Brandon Nance (Cheektowaga H.S./Buffalo) posted 11 points and three boards. Todd Smith (Crosby H.S./Waterbury, Conn.) handed out ten assists while swiping four steals.

TC3 is back in action Sunday against North Country Community College. The home game starts at 2 p.m.

Panthers Tripped Up at Delhi

Sunday, November 17, 2013

A long weekend on the road ended on a down note Sunday as the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team fell at the nation’s #6-ranked team, SUNY Delhi. The 72-54 loss drops TC3 to 2-1 in Region III and 3-2 overall. Delhi is 5-1 overall and 4-0 in Region III.

Delhi used a run to close the first half with a 38-24 lead. The second half was nearly even, but the Panthers weren’t able to make up for the gap. Laszlo Hajnoczi (Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) had his second straight double-double, posting 13 points and 13 rebounds while also blocking three shots. Tyseem Lyles (Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) led the team in scoring with 16 points while also handing out ix assists, grabbing six rebounds, swiping four steals, and blocking two shots..

TC3 returns home Saturday to take on Clinton Community College.

Panthers Beat Columbia-Greene 79-67

Saturday, November 16, 2013

The Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team improved to 2-0 in Region III play with a 79-67 win at Columbia-Greene Community College Saturday. The Panthers are now 3-1 overall while Columbia-Greene drops to 1-4 overall and 0-3 in Region III.

The Panthers used a balanced attack, led by four sophomores, to build on a 40-36 halftime lead to post the 12-point win. Devin Redden (St. Mary’s H.S./Buffalo) had a big day, draining five three-pointers and going 9-for-10 at the free throw line en route to a 28-point performance. The sophomore added five rebounds, and assist, a steal, and a blocked shot to his all-around effort. Laszlo Hajnoczi (Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) had his first double-double of the year with 13 points and 11 rebounds; He added a steal and three blocked shots. Tyseem Lyles (Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) had a solid line of 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Todd Smith (Crosby H.S./Waterbury, Conn.) finished with ten points, six assists, four rebounds, and three steals.

TC3 plays at SUNY Delhi Sunday.

Panthers Win Home Opener, 93-78

Saturday, November 09, 2013

The Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team opened up Region III play with a 15-point home win Saturday. The Panthers used double-digit scoring from four players to power the way to a 93-78 win over Fulton-Montgomery Community College. TC3 is now 2-1 overall. It was the season opener for Fulton-Montgomery.

Returning all-region performer Tyseem Lyles (Health Professions H.S./Brooklyn) led the Panthers with 27 points while also posting game-highs of eight assists and four steals. He scored 17 of his points in the first half, including the first four of the game, as TC3 ran to a 45-41 lead at the break. The visiting Raiders came out of the break strong, erasing the deficit and taking a 52-50 lead, but TC3 went on a 21-0 run to take control of the game. Laszlo Hajnoczi (Hunter-Tannersville H.S./Tannersville) led the spurt, starting it with a three pointer and capping it with back-to-back layups. Lyles and Todd Smith (Crosby H.S./Waterbury, Conn.) each had six points during the streak, which made the score 71-52 midway through the second half. The lead remained in double figures the rest of the way as the Panthers posted a win in the home opener for the second straight year.

Smith finished with a great line; 14 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. Hajnoczi had 15 points to go with eight rebounds, two blocks, and two assists. Brandon Nance (Cheektowaga H.S./Buffalo) posted 14 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks.

TC3 returns to the road to play at Columbia-Greene Community College Saturday.

Panther Men end weekend with record of 1-1

Sunday, November 03, 2013

The season-opening Crossover Classic gave the TC3 Panthers basketball team a chance to get on the floor with some scholarship teams this weekend. On Sunday, the Panthers took on Division II Niagara County Community College and came home with a 92-82 loss. TC3 ends the weekend with a record of 1-1, with both games coming against Division II teams.

Against Niagara, Robert Mills paced the Panthers with 20 points. Tyseem Lyles had 10 rebounds and Lyles handed out 6 assists.

The Panthers open Region III, Division III play at home Saturday against Fulton-Montgomery Community College.

Panthers Men's Basketball Wins 84-68

Saturday, November 02, 2013

The TC3 Panthers opened the 2013-14 season Saturday, taking on Jamestown Community College as part of the Crossover Classic in Corning. The Panthers won by a final score of 84-68. Jamestown is a Division II team, meaning they can offer athletic scholarships.

TC3 was led by Tyseem Lyles with 16 points. Devon Redden had 10 rebounds and Lyles handed out 10 assists.

The Panthers match up against another Division II team Sunday, taking on Niagara County Community College.